US2211236A

US2211236A - Self-cleaning rake

Info

Publication number: US2211236A
Application number: US182536A
Authority: US
Inventors: John R Kunzelman
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1937-12-30
Filing date: 1937-12-30
Publication date: 1940-08-13
Anticipated expiration: 1957-08-13

Description

Aug. 13, 1940.-

. 3.1.` R. KUNZELMAN y 2,211,236

'SELF-CLEANING' RAKE I Filed Dec. so, 1937 75%@ w mi E i Patented Aug. 113, 19.40

UNITED, STATES vPATENT or-*Fics 1 Claim.

My invention relates to rakes generally known as garden rakes, and more particularly, to rakes of the self-cleaning type.

As is well known, when raking trash, and particularly leaves, it is necessary to frequently stop raking and remove, by hand, leaves held on and between the teeth of the rake, which is not only annoying but requires a good deal of time, and hence makes the operation slow and tedious.

The object of this invention is to pivotally attach a rake head to a handle in a manner in which movement of the rake handle away from the operator, while the points of the teeth are resting on the ground, will cause the rake head to fold toward the operator and position the teeth longitudinally on the ground. A continued movement of the rake in this same direction for a very short distance will strip the leaves from the teeth by their frictional engagement with the ground. The invention furtheri provides yielding means for returning the rake head to normal position as soon as pressure on the rake handle, away from the operator, is removed,

thus causing very little delay and effort in removing leaves or other trash from .the rake. Further means, operative at will, is provided for locking the rake head against hinge-like movement, whereby the rake may be used for general raking purposes in which movement thereof toward and from the operator is required.

, To the above end, generally stated, the invention consists of the novel devices, combinations of devices and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and defined in the claim.

In the accompanying drawing, which illustrates the invention, like characters indicate like parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a plan view-of the improved rake with a portion of the handle broken away;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the improved rake as shown in Fig. l, on an enlarged scale;

Fig. 3 is a view corresponding to Fig. 2, with the exception that the rake head is turned into its stripping position;

Fig. 4 is also a view corresponding to Fig. 2, with the exception that the rake head is locked against hinge-like movement;

50 Fig. 5 is a fragmentary View partly in elevation and partly in section, taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2`; and

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary detail view partly in elevation and partly in section taken on the line 55 6-6 of Fig. 1, on an enlarged scale.

The numeral `'I indicates a wooden handle having at one end a pair of fixed and diverging metallic arms 8, the free end portions of which are parallel and terminate in eyes or bearings 9.

The rake head includes a back or horizontal 5 member I0, the ends of which terminate in trunions II journaled in the bearings 9. Integral with the under side of the back I5 is a plurality of depending teeth I2, which are intermediately curved with their free end portions extending 10 downwardly and rearwardly.

To prevent forwardly swinging movement of the rake head from normal position, the same is provided with an L-shaped stop finger i3. This sto-p nger I3 is at the left-hand end of the back 15 I0, lwith which it is integrally formed, and its free end portion overlies the respective arm 8, which arm acts as an abutment to limit forward swinging movement of the rake head.

A coiled spring I4, encircling the right-hand 20 end portion of the back I0, has one of its ends anchored to the adjacent arm 8 and its other end anchored to the adjacent tooth I2. This spring I4 is und-er strain to swing the rake head forward until stopped by the engagement of the 25 y stop finger I3 with the respective arm` 8.

To lock the rake head against pivotal movement, there is provided a thimble I5, loosely and slidably mounted on the left-hand arm 8, having on its outer end a lug IB arranged to extend 30 over the stop nger I3 and hold the same pressed against the respective arm 8.`

By reference to Fig. 4, it will be noted that the thimble I5 and its lug I6 have three-point contact with the arm 8 and the stop inger I3, 35 and thereby frictionally hold said thimble in an operative position. It will also be noted that the sto-p nger I3 has a cam surface I1 onto which the lug I6 may be pressed with a variable pressure. This cam surface I1 will also compensate 40 for wear between the cam surface and the lug I6. When the thimble I5 is not in use, the same may be frictionally held in the crotch between the arms 8, as shown in Fig. 1.

From the above description, it is evident that 45 when the rake is drawn in the direction of the arrow on Fig. 2, the rake head will be rigidly held by the stop finger I3. A movement of the rake in the direction of the arrow on Fig. 3, will cause the rake head to fold under the arms 8' 50 and thereby bring the free end portions of the teeth I2 parallel or substantially parallel with the ground, so that leaves or other trash thereon will be removed by pushing the rake over the ground in the direction of said arrow. When on the rake head arranged to engage one of the arms and position the rake head in an operative position with freedom for turning movement into a position in which its teeth extend rearwardly in substantially a horizontal stripping position, a spring normally holding the rake head with its stop member in engagement with said arm, and a thimble slidably mounted on one of the arms and having a lugarranged to engage the stop member and hold the same on 10 said arm.

JOHN R. KUNZELMAN.